The week in pictures

db made a bid to escape the cold with a jaunt to the Rosewood Hotel, which has teamed up with Sipsmith to host a Hot Gin Terrace this winter. The pop-up, appearing in the hotel’s picturesque courtyard, is housed under a twinkling canopy complete with heated seats, blankets and musical entertainment.

On serve are four signature winter gin-based hot cocktails, including the Hot G&T – made with Jack Rudy’s tonic cordial – and the Hot Mulled Sloe, a two person deconstructed cocktail served in a tea pot and tea cups.

Maxine Benson MBE (co-founder of Everywoman), Joanne Bass (winner of the Athena award), Lynn Murray (of Hatch Mansfield, who presented the award) and Karen Gill MBE (co-founder of Everywoman).

For the first time Champagne Taittinger served as the official drinks sponsor of Natwest Everywoman Awards, which celebrate entrepreneurial women and champion the ladies behind Britain’s most successful businesses.

Continuing our culinary safari around London, we headed to Frenchie in Covent Garden, where we indulged in crispy pig’s head croquettes, soft boiled eggs with preserved lemon, grilled octopus and spelt, and a decadent dish of slow-cooked beef shin ragu with pappardelle.

Tennis ace Boris Becker has been made a brand ambassador for Chilean winery Anakena to help build the brand’s presence in the UK.

As part of the partnership, Becker will help tell the story of the legend of the Birdman. The story goes that every spring the Easter Island sea bird ‘Manutara’ would lay its precious egg in a secret hideaway (or ‘anakena’) somewhere in the coastal cliffs on the islet of Motu Nui.

The men from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) would show their worth by swimming to the islet in search of the egg. The first islander to bring it back safely was given the title of ‘Tangata Manu’ – the Birdman.

Boris kicked off his ambassador duties with a morning of tennis training at the Royal Albert Hall, attended by db’s own Lucy Shaw.

Always keen to keep on top of new openings, we were excited to be invited to try the cocktails at Jason Atherton’s new Victorian venture Temple & Sons in the City.  The split-level site features a grill on the first floor and a bar at ground level designed to look like a Victorian grocery. Photo c/o Robert Hollingworth

In keeping with the bar’s retro feel, cocktails use British staples like Gentleman’s Relish, Coleman’s Mustard, Lyle’s Golden Syrup and Lea & Perrins.

Our favourite cocktail of the evening was the dangerously drinkable Fondant Fancy (pictured), a devilishly delicious blend of vodka, amaretto, strawberry purée and golden syrup, that tastes like a boozy version of a McDonald’s strawberry milkshake.

The Martinny, a twist on a dirty Martini made with a Lea & Perrins distillate, comes in a tin can.

Not for the faint hearted, no visit to Temple & Sons would be complete without braving the Yellow Paint. Served in a Coleman’s Mustard jar, the fiery libation blends Sailor Jerry spiced rum, Colman’s mustard, elderflower and lemon.

On first sniff you’re whacked with the spice from the mustard, but the cocktail cleverly reveals itself in layers on the palate like a Willy Wonka trick, beginning with the mustard, then introducing the sweetness of the rum laced with tart citrus before the heat ramps up again on the finish.

Continuing the decadence, we were delighted to be invited to Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney’s new restaurant venture Cabotte, a stone’s throw from the Guildhall, to a lavish lunch hosted by Champagne house AR Lenoble attended by none other than Albert Roux, who has kept the brand as his house fizz at Le Gavroche for the last 20 years.

Among the wines on pour during the lunch was the brand’s 1996 demi-sec, which was paired with a punchy main course of goose three ways.

AR Lenoble’s co-owner, Anne Malassagne, spoke in praise of the wine style, but stressed that demi-sec needs to be mature and complex enough to compete with and balance out the sugars. “In order to make an interesting demi-sec the sugars need to be well integrated into the wine – if you don’t give it enough time after disgorgement then the sugar stands out.

“Our 1996 was rested for a further four years after disgorgement before release. It’s important to show consumers that demi-secs can be fresh wines for special occasions and main courses – not just desserts,” she said.

AR Lenoble’s chef de cave, Antoine Malassagne, believes that to produce a high quality demi-sec you need to make it from the right vintage.

“You can produce a good one if you make it from a good year with structure and a decent amount of time in bottle after disgorgement. They match really well with spicy Asian food. The 1996 was a great vintage to express the heights demi-sec can reach in the right year,” he said.

Among the decadent dishes served during the launch was a starter of meaty lobster perched atop a globe of creamy burrata.

AR Lenoble has started to release a standout older vintage from its wine library each year that has the same final number, thus the 1996 was released this year.

Just 250 bottles of Cuvée Gentilhomme Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 1996 have gone on sale around the world, both of which are on pour at Angela Hartnett’s Murano in Mayfair and are available to buy via Flint Wines in the UK.

Rounding off the lunch, we were treated to a hunk of truffled brie, which paired a treat with the Cuvée Gentilhomme Blanc de Blancs 1996.

Meanwhile in Württemberg – very good news for the 2016 German wine harvest as the harvesting of Eiswein grapes began this week. Here, with nary a care for numb hands or frozen nose, Joachim Hess, of the Fellbacher Weingärtner eG cooperative, picks Riesling grapes that will be pressed in their frozen state to extract their pure, sweet nectar to bottle as Germany’s super-late harvest speciality.

Another day another dinner – this time it was the turn of db’s Chloé Beral, who headed to Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant Ametsa with Arzak Instruction at the Halkin Hotel in Belgravia to try out its tasting menu that included a pretty pud of roasted apple with floral candy.

Among the dishes she tried was this opulent offering of tuna with cinnamon on fire. This dish was paired with a delicious Spanish viognier from Aragón, El Puño, alongside a glass of VORS 30 years Amontillado from Bodegas Tradition.

Also on the menu was Iberico pork presa served on embers of beetroot

The final dish of the night, the pineapple-laced Yellow Brick Road – took its inspiration from The Wizard of Oz. 

Culinary alchemists Bompas & Parr turned Westfield into a wonderland this week with their Beyond the Waterfall project featuring nautical (but nice) cocktails served by mermen.

Guests are encouraged to boat tiny boats and row themselves through a lagoon and under the waterfall.

Among the cocktails on offer at the pop-up is the Sea Air, made with saké, sea cucumber vermouth, manzanilla, samphire, olive, and sea air.